Brad Bode led the late offensive surge Thursday night at McInnish Park where the Thunderbirds rallied to beat the Royals 6-4. Brent Smerczynski picked up the win on the mound throwing 3 shoutout innings of relief while notching 4 strikeouts. Greg Shiro started for the Thunderbirds throwing 4 innings of 4 hit baseball. Shiro’s line on the night: ND- 4IP , 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 walks, 2 hit by pitch and 2 K’s

Trailing 4-0 heading into the top of the 5th, Bode led the inning off with a single, moved to 3rd on an error by the Royals 3rd basemen and scored on a Jeff Whanger sac fly to center. The Thunderbirds scored 4 in the 6th to take the lead. Greg Anderson defied father time and all rules of physics by smoking a leadoff double to the base of the fence. Brad Petty laced a single putting runners at the corners. Anderson scored on an error by the Royal 2nd baseman allowing Jody Nicewonger to reach base. Fabian Mendive laced an rbi single to cut the lead 4-3 with 2 outs. That set the stage for Bode, where he promply ripped a 2 run triple to the fence in left center giving the Thunderbirds the lead for good. Phil Luna added a much needed insurance run in the top of the 7th when he drove in Whanger with a hot shot single up the middle. Whanger had just crushed a ball to to fence for a stand up double before Luna’s hit took the wind out of the Royal’s sails.

Thunderbirds collecting hits: Smerczynski, Mendive, Bode, Whanger, Luna, Anderson and Petty.

The 4-0 Thunderbirds take on the Spirits next week 5/3